It is with disbelief, misery and serious anger that I have to tell you my starting date in the US for my tour is delayed. I will arrive on the 17th instead of tomorrow and do the schedule as planned from then on and hopefully of the four other gigs one has already been rescheduled and two of the other three can also be rescheduled. I will post on this over the weekend.

So the rant...despite starting the visa process seven months ago, submitting everything needed well ahead of time and ticking all the boxes, the US immigration authorities were running massively behind and took forever to process it all and gave me my necessary approval notice on the 2nd September. I then did the next form the very next morning and then went on the portal to arrange the necessary (and I have to tell you staggeringly pointless) visa interview at the US embassy which is followed by a wait to get your documents (including passport) back.

First available appointment was the day before my flight. I requested an emergency appointment but was refused. I did manage to nab someone's cancelled appointment for yesterday but it still wasn't soon enough. To add insult to injury, the airline have been gits and insisted I select a particular alternative date rather than 'leaving it open' hence my departure on the 17th (oh and they charged me lots of course).

So there you have it. I'm not often a sympathy seeker but given through no fault of my own, I'm out hundreds of pounds, not in the US and forced to cancel/rearrange shows I am looking for it now! This is the price I pay for doing things properly and by the book. Sort it out America. May I thank the gig promoters in the US who have been fantastic in their understanding and help.

So if you see a very grumpy musician in Stafford this weekend buy him a pint, a burger or just give him a hug because he needs it.